Four weeks into the 2024 NFL season, we now have a clearer picture of where each team’s defense stands.
With injuries, schematic changes, and surprising performances, there’s been plenty of movement on the defensive rankings.
So, let’s dive in and rank all 32 NFL defenses from worst to first based on what we’ve seen so far!
Which teams had the best defense in the entire NFL after week 4?
32. Arizona Cardinals: (Last Week #21)
Arizona’s defense struggled to keep up with the versatility of Jayden Daniels, who ran, passed, and, well, basically did whatever he wanted to them all game.
31. Jacksonville Jaguars: (Last Week #32)
The Jaguars’ defense looked much improved this week, though, candidly, that isn’t saying much. They limited Houston’s scoring, despite the high yardage total, but ultimately faltered on the last drive of the game to fall to 0-4.
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30. Carolina Panthers: (Last Week #29)
Carolina’s defense really struggled to keep Cincinnati contained, allowing Burrow to make a couple of big plays and Chase Brown to run wild in the second half.
29. Dallas Cowboys: (Last Week #31)
Dallas’ defense bounced back from consecutive poor performances, limiting the Giants to just 15 points, as they really locked down on their half of the field, holding New York to five field goals. They were particularly ferocious against the run, holding the Giants to just 26 yards on the ground!
28. Philadelphia Eagles: (Last Week #12)
Philly’s defense was caught flat-footed right out of the gate, and it never fully recovered. With Mayfield throwing darts and Evans making big plays, they couldn’t get a stop to save their life.
27. Seattle Seahawks: (Last Week #19)
Missing key pieces like Uchenna Nwosu and Leonard Williams, the Seahawks struggled to stop both the ground game and Goff’s passing assault. They gave up six touchdowns and forced the offense to play catch-up all night.
Also Read: 5 NFL Teams That Look WAY BETTER Than We Expected In 2024… And 5 That Look WAY WORSE
26. Los Angeles Rams: (Last Week #26)
The Rams’ defense came to play in the first half, keeping the Bears off balance and forcing multiple punts. However, as the game wore on, they struggled to contain Chicago’s ground game, and the failure to generate key stops late allowed the Bears to pull away, causing the Rams to fall to 1-3.
25. Miami Dolphins: (Last Week #28)
Monday Night was not a pretty exhibition for the Dolphins’ defense. Miami faced a relentless Tennessee ground game and ultimately couldn’t get enough stops to keep the Dolphins within striking distance.
24. New England Patriots: (Last Week #22)
The Patriots’ defense fought hard, holding San Francisco to field goals early, but couldn’t keep pace, as their offense continued to throw them to the dogs by allowing the 49ers great field position.
23. Las Vegas Raiders: (Last Week #27)
Statement performance this week in Sin City. The Raiders’ defense played clutch, holding Cleveland to just 241 total yards. Charles Snowden’s sack on Deshaun Watson with 41 seconds left was a game-sealer, showcasing grit without their star rusher Maxx Crosby.
22. New York Giants: (Last Week #21)
The Giants’ defense held Dallas to just 20 points, keeping the game within reach, but with the way their offense was playing behind Daniel Jones, they needed to be perfect and not allow the “big play.” Unfortunately, for the G-Men, this was too tall an order, as they allowed two touchdown passes from Dak Prescott, including a 55-yard strike to CeeDee Lamb.
21. Tennessee Titans: (Last Week #30)
Granted, it came against a battered Miami side, but the Titans’ defense had a nice showing on Monday Night and mercifully recorded their first takeaway of the NFL season, recovering a fumble off a misplayed backward pass to Tyreek Hill.
20. Cincinnati Bengals: (Last Week #25)
Sunday was far from perfect for the Bengals’ defense, as they allowed 24 points to Andy Dalton and the lowly Panthers, but it was good enough to get the job done, which at 0-3 they desperately needed.
19. Detroit Lions: (Last Week #20)
While Seattle was able to generate 29 points, the Lions managed to keep enough pressure on Geno Smith to force the mistakes needed to ultimately win the game. The old bend-but-don’t-break!
18. Buffalo Bills: (Last Week #6)
With key injuries, Buffalo’s front seven was exposed as they allowed 427 yards to the Ravens, including 199 on the ground by Derrick Henry and 35 points.
17. Green Bay Packers: (Last Week #10)
Green Bay’s defense struggled early, in part because they were missing key players like Jaire Alexander and Carrington Valentine, but credit to this unit for picking themselves up by the bootstraps and tightening down the hatches in the second half, holding Minnesota to just three points.
16. Cleveland Browns: (Last Week #14)
Cleveland’s defense made a couple of big plays, with Rodney McLeod returning a fumble for a touchdown in the fourth quarter. Still, holding the Raiders to just 268 yards of total offense wasn’t enough to get the win.
15. Washington Commanders: (Last Week #24)
The Commanders’ defense stayed aggressive, racking up four sacks and ensuring Kyler Murray couldn’t find his groove. Impressive showing from the young group, which held a high-powered Cardinals offense to just 14 points.
14. Indianapolis Colts: (Last Week #13)
The Colts’ defense applied consistent pressure on Justin Fields, sacking him four times, and ultimately made enough plays to hold a rallying Pittsburgh team down at the end of regulation.
13. Atlanta Falcons: (Last Week #15)
On a victorious afternoon during which the Falcons’ offense was unable to get into the end zone, it shouldn’t come as a shock that the defense had itself a very nice game, highlighted by Matthew Judon’s deflection, which turned into a pick-six for Troy Andersen. This unit showed resilience all game and made some big-time stops when it mattered most.
12. New York Jets: (Last Week #17)
The Jets’ defense came into this game, smothering Bo Nix in the first half and keeping the Broncos’ offense off-balance most of the game. Usually, when you allow just nine points and hold the opposition to 60 yards passing, you can expect a win.
11. Minnesota Vikings: (Last Week #2)
Sunday was a weird one for the Vikings’ defense. They were rock solid through three quarters, allowing just seven points, but it all nearly came unraveled, as they allowed 22 fourth-quarter points.
10. Chicago Bears: (Last Week #11)
Chicago’s defense came out swinging and made life extremely difficult for Stafford through three quarters. The Rams started to get some momentum going in the fourth, but it was too little too late, in no small part due to a pivotal play from Jaquan Brisker, who sealed the victory with an interception late in the fourth quarter.
9. Houston Texans: (Last Week #18)
Houston’s defense played well on Sunday, holding the Jaguars to 20 points. More importantly, they held firm when it mattered most. With just three minutes remaining, they forced a crucial three-and-out to set up a game-winning drive.
8. Los Angeles Chargers: (Last Week #5)
The Chargers’ defense got off to a strong start, forcing two turnovers early, including a Kristian Fulton interception of Mahomes. Overall, it was an impressive showing, as they held the Chiefs to just 17 points.
7. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: (Last Week #8)
The Bucs’ defense had one job: rattle Jalen Hurts, and they did it to perfection. Six sacks on the day and a game-sealing forced fumble by Lavonte David in the fourth quarter kept the Eagles’ offense at bay.
6. San Francisco 49ers: (Last Week #9)
The 49ers’ defense rebounded in a big way on Sunday, sacking Jacoby Brissett six times and capitalizing on Fred Warner’s 45-yard pick-six, giving him three forced fumbles and two interceptions in four games. Warner’s impact extended beyond the interception—his leadership helped stabilize a defense missing Javon Hargrave.
5. Pittsburgh Steelers: (Last Week #1)
Pittsburgh’s defense entered the game ranked among the best in the NFL, but they allowed a season-high 27 points to a Joe Flacco-led Colts team.
4. Baltimore Ravens: (Last Week #16)
Baltimore’s defense brought a fierce presence all night, making Josh Allen look mortal for the first time this season. Kyle Hamilton led the charge, recovering a crucial fumble while racking up a team-high seven tackles, as they limited Buffalo to just 236 yards and 10 points.
3. Denver Broncos: (Last Week #7)
The Broncos’ defense took control when it mattered, holding the Jets to nine points and coming up with five critical sacks on Aaron Rodgers. The unit’s pressure late in the game, headlined by P.J. Locke’s game-sealing sack, was a key factor in the win.
2. New Orleans Saints: (Last Week #4)
It is hard to criticize the Saints’ defense for their performance, albeit a losing one, when they allowed no offensive touchdowns. However, a loss is a loss, and the unit does have some culpability for the back-breaking penalties they committed late.
1. Kansas City Chiefs: (Last Week #3)
Kansas City’s pass rush, led by Chris Jones, overwhelmed the Chargers’ injury-riddled offensive line and held Los Angeles to just 10 points.
Also Read: Ranking All 32 NFL Teams’ Defenses For The 2024 Season From WORST To FIRST
